I paid on my student loans, why do I not qualify for student loan credit?

Are you being claimed as a dependent?  Filing married filing separately?  

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/claim-student-loan/L2DnkvT5h_US_en_US?uid=m6eg9k55

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/can-i-claim-a-deduction-for-student-loan-interest

If you are not a student then you are not eligible for the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit.

There is no credit or deduction for student loan payments on a tax return.

filing married. we both have student loans we have paid on. 

There is no federal credit for student loan payments.  There is a deduction for the payment of student loan INTEREST.

It shows on line 21 of Schedule 1. Technically, it's an "adjustment" to income. 

If you have a 529 Plan, student loan payments are now a qualified expenses (up to $10,000 for each spouse) for a qualified (tax free) withdrawal. 

Is regarding MN Student Loan Credit?

To qualify, both of these must be true:

• You are a full-year or part-year Minnesota resident.
• You make payments on your own qualifying education loans during the tax year. For married couples, each spouse must have made payments on their own qualified loans.

You may not claim payments you made on someone else's loans or payments other individuals made on your loans.

The credit amount depends on your income, loan payments, and original loan amount. The maximum credit is $500 each year or $1,000 for married couples filing a joint return.

2024 M1SLC, Student Loan Credit

In TurboTax :

1. Open MN return and continue to the screen Minnesota Credits
2. Scroll down to Student loan Credit. 

The Credit is a nonrefundable credit. Nonrefundable tax credits can reduce the amount of tax you owe, but they do not increase your tax refund or create a tax refund when you wouldn't have already had one.